orasirfandomcom-20200214-history
Sample Prologue
PROLOGUE The cart was moving swiftly through the narrow road that ran along the midst of the dense forest of Aierve. The tall trees allowed little sunlight to penetrate the area, though enough to help the outlaws, merchants and riders to travel during the broad daylight, but insufficient to remove the creepy sensation from the passersby’s hearts. It had only been five hours of his journey, but for Aiden it was more like a never-ending boring voyage, with no one but the coachman to talk to, not to mention the frequent jerk the cart was giving whenever bumps or small pebbles were posing as obstacles. Lots of stories and folktales of the forest of Aierve had revolved around the corners of the country, the one with mammoths and giants being tremendously popular. It was said that thousands of years ago mammoths had walked here, along with their riders, the giants. The giants were considered harmless and generally refrained from attacking humans. But they loved their mammoths like families, and for someone harming their mammoths, they were the fiercest enemies of the world. It was said that no one killing a mammoth had ever escaped from its rider’s blunt weapon. They used their long maces for attacking, though their huge feet were enough to smash a human’s skull. Both the giants and the mammoths had long gone, now considered extinct, and this forest had become home to other wild beasts, the Black Panthers and the Taipans being two of the deadliest of them. Aiden wanted to avoid this path. But he was left with only one other option, a path which would lead to the main entrance of the Termarth Palace. An infiltration from the main gate would mean suicide, as it would be practically impossible for any mortal to evade two dozen crossbowmen, distributed among ten towers. There were other means to reach the castle though, including the fifty leagues of journey through the river or an entire week of expedition through the mountains, but those would become very long voyage, and deadlier even. Dealing with forest beasts was child’s play in comparison with dealing with the Frost giants and the Wights of the mountain or the Drowners and other Swamp monsters of the marsh. “Sir, this is where the road ends.” The coachman said, stopping the cart abruptly. “I cannot take you any further.” Aiden got down from the cart. Ahead of them the road had narrowed down to give way to the tall trees and bushes. “How much for your trouble?” “Two silvers.” “Here “Aiden handed him a couple of silver coins. “Safe returns.” “Safe travels, sir.” The coachman turned the cart around and drove fast without any delay. The sound of the wheels and the hoofs faded rapidly, and all Aiden was left with was the eerie silence of the forest''. I can still manage to cross the forest before dusk'', he thought. He was aware of the map. He had it all planned before. While devising his strategy he had estimated the time he would need to reach certain landmarks, and the overall time to complete the quest. If everything goes as planned, I can make it out alive before sunrise. Aiden walked cautiously, though his thoughts were mainly revolving around the dangerous yet necessary task that Lord Tyaerith of Crowdon had assigned him with. I have to succeed today. If I fail and get caught, I will be put to death undoubtedly, but what matters more is the war that will be declared among the two houses, the Lorians and the Vercrows. Mia was supposed to wait for him at the Mierra bank, with a boat. She was a Crotan spy, and was highly trained in melee combats as well as sneak attacks. Lord Tyaerith had chosen her to assist Aiden in the journey. She was descended from the Brotherhood of the Crotan hills, and was gifted with the Brothers’ strength and agility. Aiden had accompanied her several times before in certain expeditions, and hence was well aware of her skills. After an hour of tiresome walking, Aiden was amazed to see glitters of bright flames several yards ahead of him. He couldn’t detect the source though, as the tall trees were interrupting his sight. The more he approached towards the flames, the thinner the density of the trees became, with sunlight becoming more prominent, and ultimately he arrived at a small field, and was surprised to see timbers burning in the center, with several tents being built nearby, and several half naked men and women were spread across the field. There were few more clusters of burning woods as well. Some men were roasting raw meat in the fire, some cooking stew, some cutting woods, and some guarding the rests, with spears and bows in hands and quivers in the back. Some of the women were feeding their calves and deer, some sharpening arrows and soaking them in a green solution, apparently some venomous chemicals. “Hail, ser.” The first guard to gaze upon him shouted. The others stared as well, with confused looks. Evidently they were not used to get visitors or passersby. It is okay for me if they do not consider me as a possible threat. “To what purpose you have visited our land, thus hampering with our peace?” Aiden approached the guard who raised his voice. “I apologize if my presence has provoked your peace. But my intention is to reach Mierra river bank before dusk, and I was not aware that some human tribes dwell here.” “Yeah, we have just arrived a fortnight ago.” A middle aged bearded man, muscular built in nature, over six feet in height, replied. “May I ask your name Ser?” “Aiden, from West Crowdon.” The others had stood up and gathered around him as well. Are they finding me curious? Their looks conveyed more of hostility than curiosity. “Glad to see that you all speak the Common tongue.” It would have been more threatening for him if they didn’t. “Yeah, we are foreigners. We came from Blighton.” Another one replied. This one was younger and more glamorous than the previous one. “That far?” Aiden was surprised. Blighton was leagues away from Aierve. Even the fastest ship would take at least a couple of months to cross the Dragon Sea, and the nearest beach from Aierve was around a month away. “What brings you to this forest? Hunting?” Though that seemed unlikely. There were plenty of forests in Blighton useful for hunting. “No. We do not hunt. We love animals.” Aiden looked at their calves and deer. The women who had been feeding them were now gazing at him in silence. “Yes, I can see. So what other fruit do you hope to find in this forest, where nothing but the wild beasts dwells?” “We are hiding.” “Hiding?” That came as a surprise for Aiden. Why would a tribe of so many persons need to hide, even when they had weapons for fighting back? “From whom?” The younger one started to speak, but another one, around fifty years of age, carrying a spear in one hand and axe in the other, apparently the leader of the group, stopped him, and replied, “That is of no concern of yours. Just know that we have been running for several years, and Blighton is no longer a safer place for us.” “But this forest is too dangerous to keep you safe. It crawls with wild beasts after dusk. Haven’t you encountered any since your arrival?” “We have. But they have caused us no harm. We are fiercer than them.” “Maybe. With your bows and poisoned arrows. But how do you plan to stay alive if a pack of deadly predators attacks you?” “In that case we are left with only one option. We shift.” Shift? Aiden was shocked. So they are shifters. Aiden hadn’t met any in his lifetime, and he had travelled a lot. A pack of shifters running away and hiding from something for several years. How fascinating. “So you all are Shifters?” Aiden said. “Well, that explains why you all consider a dense forest to be one of the safest place for hiding. So that makes….let me guess….um…the vampires, your mortal enemy? Are you running away from some vampires?” “Move along, child.” The Packmaster was annoyed this time. “Storytime is over.” “Yes, sure. I have no business among Shifters. I must reach my destination before dusk. Take care, everybody.” “We always have. With or without anyone’s prayers.” The Shifters returned to their corresponding positions. Aiden didn’t delay for another moment and continued towards Mierra. As soon as he crossed the field, the density of trees once again consumed the brightness, and soon the environment grew darker as before. Mia was waiting for him with a boat at the river bank. Aiden was relieved to be able to finally cross the forest without any fatal encounter. “You have arrived.” Mia said as soon as she saw him. “Great. But it is way past dark. We should better hurry if we wish to return by dawn. Come on, let’s go.” Mia was carrying a long hunting bow in her hand and a quiver of arrows on her back. she was an excellent fighter with swords. But today Aiden did not find a sword with her. She had a dagger though, sheathed. They stepped onto the boat and set sail towards west. Aiden touched the water. It was cold as ice. “So,” Mia said, while rowing, “What held you up?” “Nothing. Just met a few Shifters on the way.” “Shifters? In Aierve?” Mia was not convinced. “Yes. They told that they came from Blighton. They are running from some foe. Didn’t say whom.” “Well, it is not very hard to guess.” “What? The vampires?” “That’s a possibility, but highly unlikely. Blighton is the land of some of the most powerful Archmages of the world. An undead would not dare set foot at Blighton or nearby lands.” “Then?” “Do you remember the Great Battle of the Sevens?” “Yes. Vaguely, because it had happened almost a decade ago, and I was not a part of it, neither was anybody I know. I just remember from the gossips that had reached my ears during that period.” “Are you aware of the Sevens?” “Yes, I suppose so. The Eladrins, the Duergers, the Drows, the Mages, the Templers, the Shifters and the Nightcrawlers.” Aiden understood immediately, “Did you mean, the Nightcrawlers?” Mia nodded smilingly. “But that’s impossible. The last of the Nightcrawlers had fought in that battle and all of them were slain. Now they are considered extinct.” “Yes. Because the whereabouts of the last of the Nightcrawlers are beyond the knowledge of majority. I had heard the truth from one of my trusted Eladrin friend, who was involved in the battle. According to him, an Elmagi, probably one of the Sun Elves from Draedra Hills, had created some sort of illusions in the battlefield that had made the Shifters believe that they had slaughtered every Nightcrawler on earth, but a group of them had been hidden from the enemy sight throughout the entire battle. They had later managed to escape with the aid of that mage, and stayed hidden in a cave, several feet underneath the ground. The mage had magically sealed the cave to protect the Crawlers as well as to prevent any further encounters between them and the Shifters. But they are back now. So it means someone has released them.” “But for what purpose? They were being protected, right? Because their existence was threatened by the Shifters. So why are they hunting the Shifters down? They are only few. Shifters are numerous.” “I just inferred about their return, based on what the Shifters had told you. Any reason behind this is beyond my knowledge. But I will know, eventually. The Eladrins never keep secrets from me.” She smiled. “Yes, I know. You have been working for them for years and thus have managed to gain their trust. It must have been very hard for you, since Eladrins hardly put their faith in humans and those they consider below their race.” Mia was a member of the Secret Legion of Elven Companions, shortly Selecomp, which was one of the very few secret agencies responsible for keeping Elven threats at bay. Selecomp was formed around nine years ago, shortly after the war ended. The main purpose of formation of such a guild was to prevent the reoccurrence of such great battles, which had brought nothing but mass destruction and everlasting enmity among several races. She had joined Selecomp around six years ago, after her parents had been falsely accused of treachery by the Drow Overlord and were decapitated in front of thousand common folks. With Mia’s aid, the Eladrins were able to dethrone the Overlord and banish him for rightful reasons. Since then, the Eladrins had started trusting Mia more than they would trust their own sisters. Since the formation of the Legion, the Drows’ dominance over the Elven realms had been minimized and the Avariels were able to restore peace to the Forests of Clearmarsh. They rowed for six hours or more, before they could see any sign of land. The surrounding was very unclear, but the four tall watchtowers located at the backside of the Termarth Palace were visible vaguely in the moonlight. “They are keeping eyes on land as well as on water.” Mia whispered, “We can’t risk discovery. We have to leave the boat.” “And swim?” Aiden touched the water again. It might be just a couple of degrees above the temperature of ice. “In such cold water? We will freeze to death.” “Only if we swim overnight. Land is not that far. We will reach in an hour at the most.” The weather itself was very cold, the sensation greatly increased with the cold breeze caressing their bodies. Aiden was shivering terribly. Mia seemed nonchalant about this. She was lightly dressed too. Does she even feel cold? Aiden was confused. Every human feels cold. Why won’t she? '' “You may keep some of your clothes in the boat. The lighter you are, the faster you will swim.” “No it’s okay. I prefer myself warmer.” “Let’s do this then.” Mia dived. The cold water splashed all over Aiden. “God it is so cold. Come on Aiden.” ''So she does feel cold. Aiden had begun to wonder if she had turned into some sort of zombies, or other soulless creatures. Aiden closed his eyes, and jumped. His dive was imperfect, so a greater amount of water splashed, and he felt the entire force at his belly. For few seconds he kept on drowning, the chill increasing with every passing moment, and the water was striking against him like icy needles. He felt as if he was cutting through spikes of ice, as if his entire body was about to freeze, and his frozen body was about to get buried in Mierra forever. But soon his body started decelerating, and he managed to swim back to the surface. “How do you feel?” Mia asked. She was floating few meters ahead of him. “Terrific. How do you think I feel?” Aiden snapped, half of the words he was speaking being inaudible because of the shivering and the sound of the waves. “Quickly. Let’s get this over with.” “Try to stay under the surface as much as possible. The crossbowmen have very sharp visions. They may see us.” They swam for almost an hour. Mia was very swift, swimming pretty fast and ignoring most of the chillness that her body was feeling constantly. Aiden couldn’t be the same. He was getting slower with every passing moment, partly because of the weight of his clothes, and partly because he had never swum before in a water half as cold as this. It was a nightmare for him. Finally, when Aiden started to feel that his heart was about to stop and Mia was losing her speed, getting tired, they found the edge of the shore, and quickly climbed up without wasting one more second in the icy cold water. “We did it.” Aiden smiled, “It feels nice.” “Told you.” Mia didn’t show much change in expression, as if it was a child’s play for her, as if her body was adopted to withstand any form of sufferings. “Let’s move. We take the left direction. That will ensure that we are covered in bushes. “ Aiden looked around them. Both the left and the right side of them consisted of trees and bushes, but the right side was much thinner in terms of density. They swiftly moved towards the bushy area of the land and began walking cautiously. Aiden kept an eye on the nearest watchtower. The other three towers were not visible from there, since the tall walls of Termarth were interfering with their sight. From this distance he was able to see the crossbowmen of the tower, who was looking at a direction perpendicular to theirs, with the crossbow at his right hand and his left hand was holding something near his mouth in a way that indicated he was smoking tobacco. “Don’t linger, Aiden.” Mia murmured. She was few yards ahead of him. “We may run out of time.” The more they approached the castle walls, the thinner the bushes got. Eventually the rear gate of the castle came into view. A couple of guards were guarding it. They crawled down to avoid being seen. Mia took out her dagger. An arrow would be risky and might cause alert if missed the target. “We need to take both of them down simultaneously.” Mia said. “Have your dagger ready.”